Real World Gardener-Horticulture, Gardening, Learning to Grow

PLANT OF THE WEEK

Banskia Spinulosa

 

This next plant is a native but is often overlooked because people go for the more colourful and show Grevilleas.

They may come in limited colourways, but their flowers are much more substantial and spectacular, particular if you have several cultivars planted or grouped together.

Banksia spinulosa

Plus they provide nectar for wildlife during the colder months of the year.

Let’s find out about them

I'm talking with Jeremy Critchley owner of www.thegreengallery.com.au and Karen Smith editor of www.hortjournal.com.au

PLAY: Banksia spinulosa_11th July 2018

 

Banksia spinulosa isn’t slow growing at all and within a couple of years, if grown from seed, will have reached over one metre tall and wide, plus provide a least 8 flower spikes.

 

Banskia flower spikes you can either cut for the vase, or just leave on the bush for the native wildlife to enjoy.

As cut flowers, Banksias can last for months.

 

If you have a question either for me or the plant panel why not drop us a line to [email protected] or write in to 2RRR PO Box 644 Gladesville NSW 1675

TOOL TIME

Garden Toolboxes for the Beginner and Semi-Advanced Gardener

Over the years, gardeners accumulate quite a number of tools that they regard as essential and wouldn’t be without.

 

I’m not talking about anything that is powered, wither by petrol or electricity, but hand tools.

Quite often we even have several of the same too.

If you knew someone who was just starting out in gardening, what would you recommend they have as an essential part of their gardening tool kit?

Limit it to three and see how you go.

Let’s find out what the experts recommend.

I'm talking with Tony Mattson General Manager of www.cutabovetools.com.au

PLAY: Toolbox part 1-11th July 2018

 

What do you think, do you agree with Tony’s essential beginner’s tool kit or would you have chosen something else?

 

 

For the most part, I’m sure listeners would have said a pair of secateurs would be the bare minimum, but one pair of secateurs doesn’t make a kit, you need two more things.

What are yours? If you have any questions either for me or Tony, you can email us [email protected]

DESIGN ELEMENTS

French Provincial Style Gardens

If someone asked you to describe a French Provincial garden what would you say?

What would be the key elements of such a garden?

Would it be quirky frenchy nic nacs, and include a trompe l’oeil or a parterre?

Would it include plants that are French?

Let’s find out. 

I'm talking with Danielle Collier from Artistic Horticulture.

Favourite garden plants: for a French garden might include architectural plants. Agapanthus. Canna. 

Mediterranean Plants. Acanthus mollis, bear's britches. Iris. 

Perennials. Aquilegias. Dahlias. Grasses. Phormium Tenax. 

Shrubs and Hedging Plants. Roses. Garden Bulbs and corms. Alliums. 

Climbing Plants. Bougainvillea. 

Trees. Acacia dealbata, Toon chinensi or Chinese cedar. 

If you have any questions either for me Danielle why not write in to [email protected]

PLANT OF THE WEEK

Parsley:

Parsley (Petroselinum hortense and Petroselinum crispum) is an herb that originated in the Mediterranean region of southern Italy.

Parsley is used a lot by some gardeners to feed the winter possums that are looking for something to eat.

It’s used a lot in cooking and much better to grow your own and only harvest as much as you need without needing to store it in the fridge.

Let’s find out what else parsley has to offer.

I'm talking with Simone Jeffries, naturopath and herbalist. www.simonejeffriesnaturopath.com.au

PLAY: Parsley_ 3rd April 2019

Grows as a biennial in temperate climates or annual in subtropical & tropical areas.

Grows a taproots used as a food store over winter.

Others grow parsley and let it go to seed to attract the benny’s which means the beneficial insects.

Really nice in a potato salad.

The secret is to cut it up very finely because it’s quite coarse so it doesn’t get stuck in your throat when you eat it.

Juice it with apple and celery so it doesn’t taste so medicinal.

PLANT DOCTOR

Indoor Plants: Pests, Diseases and WateringIf we were fashionable and hip young gardeners, we would all be talking about where to go to find the next happening for indoor plants.

Usually a trendy café or other venue where indoor plants are sold to the unsuspecting young folk for enormously inflated prices. But, if we’re not in that category, we probably would like to refresh our memory about looking after those indoor plants.  

I'm talking with Steve Falcioni from www.ecoorganicgarden.com.au Let’s find out  New to gardening and not sure how much to water?

Leaves yellowing or browning on the tips can be under or over-watering. 

Different plants have different responses to watering so it's important to do some research about the plant.

Find out if your plant likes to be dry between waterings, such as Zee Zee plant ( Zamiocalcus spp) or Anthuriums.

Stick your finger into the potting mix to test for wetness or dryness.If you’re averse to sticking your finger in the dirt to check how much moisture is being held in the soil, you can buy a moisture meter fairly cheaply. If you’re electronically inclined you can even make your own moisture meter. If you have any questions either for me or for Steve, drop us a line to [email protected] or write in to 2RRR PO Box 644 Gladesville NSW 1675

TALKING FLOWERS

Anthurium andreanum: Anthuriums

Common names:Anthurium Flamingo Flower, Boy Flower, Painted Tongue and Painter's Palette

The anthurium flower derives its name from two Greek words: oura, meaning tail and anthos, meaning flower. Translated the phrase means tail flower.

Anthuriums are evergreen subtropical plants with heart shaped leaves. Similar flowers to the Madonna or Peace lily.

Botanical Bite:

These flowers are really modified bracts, called spathes.

The actual flower of the anthurium plant are tiny blooms that line the fleshy inner spike called a spadix.

In their natural environment, Anthuriums grow on rocks or trees and in the home or garden need perfect drainage around their roots.

An ideal mix is equal parts of premium potting mix and decomposed sugarcane and plants in a terracotta pot.

 Too much water in winter suffocates the roots and causes them to rot, so let plants go dry in between each drink.

Flower vase life is up to 8 weeks if you look after them properly!

I'm talking with Mercedes Sarmini of www.flowersbymercedes.com.au

DESIGN ELEMENTS

Formal gardens have a long history.

Did you know that the style of a formal garden started in the Persian Gardens in Iran, such as the Monastery Gardens from the Late Middle Ages?

This style was sort of carried over into the Italian Gardens from the Renaissance that’s the 1400’s and was further refined into the formal French Gardens from the Baroque period which was around 1650.

Let’s find out what this style has to offer.

I'm talking with Danielle Collier from Artistic Horticulture.

Formal style is all about straight lines, no clutter, repeated plantings with as much symmetry as you can stuff into your garden.

Add a water feature or two and some espalier or topiary, and voila’ you have a formal garden.

WILDLIFE IN FOCUS

Double Barred Finch

Small birds are notoriously hard to identify because (a) they’re small, (b) they’re incredibly fast and shy and lastly, they’re usually just a variation on brown. Not so this next bird which has easily distinguished facial markings and is Perhaps you can spot one after listening to this. Described as having an owlish face, although in miniature, and with beautifully spotted wings.

I'm talking with Dr Holly Parsons from www.birdsinbackyards.net Let’s find out Incredibly gorgeous little bird with a striking white face.

Like a miniature barn owl because of the markings. 

For once, not just a little brown bird that's hard to identify; this one has distinctive features which apart from the white face, the barring on the feathers stands out also.

Prefer drier regions.

Hanging around in flocks you’re bound not to mistake them for something else because they would make a spectacular sight. If you have any questions either for me or for Holly, drop us a line to [email protected] or write in to 2RRR PO Box 644 Gladesville NSW 1675

TALKING FLOWERS

Geraniums: Pelargonium hybrids

 

Common geraniums belong to the genus Pelargonium(280 spp), while true geraniums belong to the genus Geranium. (422 species).

Family Geraniaceae.

The name geranium comes from a Greek work geranos, which basically means crane.

True Geraniums are called Cranesbills because of the shape of the fruit capsule?

Most geraniums are native to southern Africa, but some species originated in Australia, New Zealand and the Middle East

 

While both genera were originally classified as geraniums, in 1789 the two genus were separated.

 

Confused? The common name geranium is used to describe Pelargoniums and Geraniums.

Geranium flowers have five very similar petals, and are thus radially symmetrical (actinomorphic), whereas Pelargonium flowers have two upper petals which are different from the three lower petals, so the flowers have a single plane of symmetry.

These types of Geraniums are really Pelargoniums

When we think of Geraniums, window boxes, and potted gardens comes first to mind.

I'm talking with Mercedes Sarmini from www.flowersbymercedes.com.au

DESIGN ELEMENTS

The Modern Garden Style

Modern garden style is not a new phenomena and is in fact nearly a hundred years old.

The word ‘modern’ gives us the wrong idea because modern is used to describe something that’s recent.

Perhaps the landscapers association or group should consider changing the style that it represents.

Any ideas?

Let’s find out what this style has to offer.

I'm talking with Danielle Collier from Artistic Horticulture.

Perhaps you’ve inherited a modern garden with wide concrete paths and river pebbles in the garden beds.

Most likely though the modern house of post world war II is becoming a thing of the past.

Still the principles of the modern garden are useful, sticking to primary colours and architectural plants. 

In the photo Cycads provide the architectural plants and kangaroo paws add the primary colours.

If you have any questions either for me Danielle why not write in to [email protected]